were our chief support, had now become so
wearisome as to prevent us from eating as much as we should otherwise
have done.

_November 4_.--Calm and comparatively mild weather. The Doctor and
Hepburn, exclusive of their usual occupation, gathered some _tripe de
roche_. I went a few yards from the house in search of bones, and
returned quite fatigued, having found but three. The Doctor again made
incisions in Adam's leg, which discharged a considerable quantity of
water, and gave him great relief. We read prayers and a portion of the
New Testament in the morning and evening, as had been our practice since
Dr. Richardson's arrival; and I may remark that the performance of these
duties always afforded us the greatest consolation, serving to
re-animate our hope in the mercy of the Omnipotent, who alone could save
and deliver us.

On the 5th the breezes were light, with dark cloudy weather, and some
snow. The Doctor and Hepburn were getting much weaker, and the limbs of
the latter were now greatly swelled. They came into the house frequently
in the course of the day to rest themselves, and when once seated, were
unable to rise without the help of one another, or of a stick. Adam was
for the most part in the same low state as yesterday, but sometimes he
surprised us by getting up and walking with an appearance of increased
strength. His looks were now wild and ghastly, and his conversation was
often incoherent.

The next day was fine, but very cold. The swellings in Adam's limbs
having subsided, he was free from pain, and arose this morning in much
better spirits, and spoke of cleaning his gun ready for shooting
partridges, or any animals that might appear near the house, but his
tone entirely changed before the day was half over; he became again
dejected, and could scarcely be prevailed upon to eat. The Doctor and
Hepburn were almost exhausted. The cutting of one log of wood occupied
the latter half an hour; and the other took as much time to drag it into
the house, though the distance did not exceed thirty yards. I
endeavoured to help the Doctor, but my assistance was very trifling. Yet
it was evident that, in a day or two, if their strength should continue
to decline at the same rate, I should be the strongest of the party.

I may here remark that owing to our loss of flesh, the hardness of the
floor, from which we{50} were only protected by a blanket, produced
soreness over the body, and especially those parts on which